When it rains
by Lt. Spiffy Noin
Summary: Again... it takes place in the academy, Zechs tries to push Noin away.. with very bad results. R&R please!!! luv ya'll, ja ne


A malicious grin spread over Zechs' lips as his arm slipped around Vanessa's slim waist. He easily pulled her closer to his body as the walked along the dim hallway. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a slim, petite figure standing in the shadows. His mind immediately recognized her as Noin. His grin grew wider as he and Vanessa walked past her. His hand kept a tight hold on her waist as he led her in to the main hall. ' This should keep her away' he mused wickedly.   
In truth, he had nothing against poor Noin. She was beautiful, smart, and a brilliant soldier. It was just something about her that stirred a feeling he had long since forgotten. IT was his own stupidity that he mistook it as hate, and pushed her away from him. Slowly shattering his and her heart.   
  
~~  
  
Noin's dark eyes shimmered with wet tears in the shadows. Her deep eyes held the same color of the dress that adorned her small body. A large tear rolled down her face, landing with a splash against the exposed skin around her neck. She stood there for a moment, watching Zechs and Vanessa disappear in to the main hall. She had taken all she could bare to see, and quickly fled off in to the damp night. Her heals clicked on the hard ground as she ran. Her teeth dug in to her lip as she fought off the tears that still threatened to fall.   
She abruptly stopped at the doorway. She stood transfixed as rain poured down from the dark sky. Her mouth gaped slightly, her head tilting to the side a bit. Just the site of the heavens opening up to bare down on the earth made the tears trickle down her cheeks. With out a second thought she stepped out in to the downpour. Her dark hair instantly plastered down around her head. This in no way stopped her.   
She kept moving through the dark night. Her dress clung to her form, fully drenched. Every inch of her body was dripping wet. Her eyes were too blurred from the tears and rain to see as she stepped right in to a huge puddle. She cursed loudly as her heals sunk deep in to the mud. In her struggle to get her self out of the mud she lost her balance and fell with a splash in to the puddle. A giant wave of mud and water came up around her. She did nothing to fight it, just sat back on to her heals, letting her self sob as the rain poured down around her shivering form.   
Her hand wound them self's in to fists as she beat them in to the mud. In retaliation to the beating the mud spattered up on to her pale skin. After many minutes of beating the mud as best she could she rose up, slipping out of her shoes. In her heart she no longer cared for them.. or any thing for that matter. Slowly she ordered her shaking legs to move. She took a unsteady step forward, her whole body trembling from the cold. She stopped soon after, the sound of laughter and music reaching her frozen ears. Silently she cursed Zechs.   
She had been so happy. He had actually asked her to the annual Lake Victoria ball. It started to look like her work had paid off. She had bought her self a gorgeous dress, just for him. Just as she arrived she saw Zechs' entered the place with her at his side. She heart crushed at the site. It remained that way now.   
  
~~  
Zechs stood in the corner of the room, hidden in the dark atmosphere. Vanessa had long since disserted him for " a date that was more fun." He remained there, stalk still with his arms folded a cross his chest. His silver mask hid the look of contempt that his eyes held as he watched Vanessa Waltz around the room with many more soldiers.   
He was taken completely off guard as his mind flashed with images of Noin. His immediate reaction was one of anger. But as the images kept coming, the anger was replaced with a deep longing. His cerulean eyes glittered from under his mask as regret filled his heart.   
His head quickly swiveled around, looking for the quickest exit. His feet hit the ground with a soft rhythmic beat as he moved along the wall towards the door. His hand griped the handle, turning it and pushing the door forward to gain his freedom. A dim empty hall way awaited the other side. A frown formed on his brow from beneath the mask as he cursed at him self.   
  
~~  
  
Noin's numb feet moved stiffly over the slushy grounds. Her whole body trembled as she trudged through the freezing rain. She was completely chilled to the bone as she reached the door back in to the hallway. A shaky hand went to grasp it.. then pulled back violently. In the dim light she saw a very distinct silhouette through the window. Her teeth clattered softly as a breeze swept around her. The thought of dieing out here in the cold was not an option in her mind, and raised her hand to the handle once again. Slowly she pushed it down, gaining access to the warm hall. As silently as she could she slipped in. The handle of the door fell from her shaky hand, slamming behind her. Her whole body stiffened, her eyes growing wide as Zechs' turned his head quickly in her direction.   
Noin remained frozen in her spot, trembles running through her whole body from the bone chilling cold. Her dark eyes widened as Zechs neared her. There was no escape from him now. It was face him, or.. freeze to death. So she let him come. If he wanted to hurt her.. let him. He couldn't hurt her more then he had already. Her waterlogged head fell to her chest, as he grew closer still.   
  
~~  
  
Zechs quickened his pace towards her figure. His step faltered a bit as he watched in horror as her head fell in to her chest. 'God what have I done..' he thought bitterly to him self. ' this isn't Noin. Damn it Zechs.. Damn you and your selfish ways.' He cursed to him self as he drew nearer.   
"Noin.." Zechs said in a hoarse whisper. His teeth found his lip when she didn't even move in response.   
"Please talk to me.. Lucrenzia.." He said softly, moving slightly closer to her trembling form.   
"You don't deserve my words Zechs.. " His whole body stiffened as her sharp words assaulted him. Noin slowly pushed her way past him. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to stop her. He just stood there, speechless letting her run away from him.   
  
~~  
  
Noin forced her feet to quicken as the moved down the hallway. Hot tears warmed small paths down her face. Her numb feet lead her down a hall to the left, towards the girl's dormitory. She pushed her self on, longing for the sanctuary of her room.   
With a quick turn of the knob and a push the door of her quarters swung open. She moved in to the warm sanctuary, her teeth still clattering from the cold. The door clicked behinds her as she moved in to her small bathroom. As she stepped in, her dress found it way to the floor. Goosebumps covered every inch of her bare skin.   
Noin's hand gently turned the knobs on the bathtub. The warm water slashed down on to the cool ceramic tub. Noin's dark eyes stayed fixed on the water as the tub slowly filled with the warm liquid. Her fingers carefully tested it, idly swirling around and around.   
She shook her dark cold head as she came out of her daze. Shakily she lowered her self in to the warm water. A shudder ran down her spin as the warm water assaulted her frozen skin. Slowly she relaxed in to the liquid, the mud slowly browning the water around her. Her lips parted as a sigh escaped them, her eyes sliding closed.   
  
~~ Two weeks later ~~  
  
A tall dark figure crept down a long dim hallway. He stopped abruptly at a corner that led in to the girl's dormitory. Soft blue eyes darted about suspiciously, looking for any one who might see him. Once confident that the coast was clear, he dove down the hallway of the girl dormitory. His feet carried him down the dark hallway till he stopped at a specific door way. Beside the doorframe it read 'Cadet Lucrenzia Noin' in black letters.   
'Its now or never ' the dark figure thought to him self. His black-gloved hand rose to the wooden door. With a flick of the wrist his fist hit it softly, causing a dull thud to radiate through out the room in which it led.   
With in the room a dark hair head arose from a soft pillow. Her dark eyes blinked sleepily as she threw her legs over the side of her bed. With a push off on her hands she was standing. Slowly she stumbled to the door, wondering who the hell would wake her at this hour of the morning. Her hand grasped the doorknob, yanking the door open.   
" I don't want any vacuums..don't you know its three.. " Her voice trailed off as she saw a tall black clad figure in front over her. The only part of him that held any color were pale blue eyes shinning down on her. Her lips parted to scream, but a black-gloved hand had already found its way over her mouth. In one fluid movement he pulled her back in to her room and closed the door behind them. Her screams where easily muffled by his large hand, although she still tried in vain to get a sound out. After many moments of futile trying, she gave up and closed her mouth. Her chest rose and fell steadily as anger surged through her.   
" Please be calm.. I have not come to hurt you." a masculine voice said softly in her ear. A chill ran down her spine.. the voice was so cold, and so familiar.   
"Can I move my hand with out you screaming?" His hushed voice whispered in her ear. As she nodded he slowly eased his hand from her lips. His hand stayed in mid air before her mouth, ready to snap back over her lips if she dared to scream again. Fortunately she kept her word, and did no such thing. A small smile spread across his lips but the black mask hid it very well.   
"IF.. IF I let you go.. Will you run?" He inquired softly, keeping his arms around her tightly for the moment. The only reply he got was a small nod of her dark head. Slowly he realized his grip on her waist. As quickly as his hands left her, she darted across the room, pressing her self back against the wall, looking at her so called attacked fearfully.   
A frown formed under the mask of the attacker as he watched her dash away from him. Had he scared her that much? With out a second thought for his safety as heir to the Peacecraft family, he pulled the mask from his head. Soft golden locks fell around him loosely, her blue eyes shinning in the dim moonlight that shone through the window. The hair looked familiar to Noin.. a lot like Zechs'. But the face utterly confused her.   
"That was supposed to help?" Noin said bitterly, her whole body plastered to the wall. A frown creased her brow as she heard him chuckle softly at her. Why was he so familiar? Who was this? Why was he here? Her mind raced, searching for answers where there were none.   
"No.. But if you would let me explain.. Please.. I'm not going to hurt you.. Don't look so scared." Zechs said softly, his eyes eye's softening as he gazed at her. He was pleased to see she moved from the wall, settling her self in the upper right hand corner of her bed. Zechs quickly moved to claim a seat on the lower edge of her bed.   
"Noin..Lucrenzia..Please listen to me. This is important. You have known me as Zechs Marquise for at least 2 years now.." As he spoke those words Noin's eyes grew rapidly, her jaw going slack. 'So this is the true Zechs' she thought sadly. 'He's come to rub it in. To show me what I can't have. What just out of my reach.' Her mind told her miserably. Her chin sank to her chest, her eyes drifted down to the very plan blanket covering her bed. But Zechs went on still, not losing a beat.   
" I hide behind that mask for many reasons Lucrenzia. There are many a man out there who would give his arm to see me dead. Why? Because I could bring about the revival of the Sank Kingdom. I am the heir to the throne in that ancient kingdom, Milliardo Peacecraft. I feel I can trust you with this Lucrenzia, for you are my best friend. Even if you hate me, you are that and more to me. Please don't make me wrong about that. That is a great reason to hide if you ask me, but I have a better reason. To hide from the one I truly love. To block my heart away from her, to try and protect my self. But I have only ended up hurting her, and my self." His gaze came to fall on her as he spoke softly, his eyes an open gate way to his heart. Noin's head snapped up, her eyes large as she gazed at him, her jaw still very loose. Her lips moved as it to speak, but no sound came out. She sat there silently, her mind whirling wildly.   
"I shouldn't have come. I know it's to late now, I'll go. I'm sorry I disturbed your sleep.. Good-bye Lucrenzia." Zechs quickly stood to go, his pale eyes clearly watering with tears that refused to fall. Noin's own eyes shimmered with tears as he stood. With out a second thought she sprang forth like a cat, her arms finding there way around him. Noin just sat there on her knees, still on her bed, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Her head sat pressed to his stomach, her eyes closed tightly.   
Zechs stood frozen for a moment, wondering if it was truly her arms around him, or his imagination running away with him, yet again. His eyes closed tight as he cautiously moved a hand down to her shoulders. He gasped sharply as he felt a living breathing form there. The gasp quickly turned to a sigh of relief, his hands resting behind her shoulders, holding her to him.   
"Don't go Zechs, Milliardo. Who ever you are, just don't go." Noin pleaded with him softly. A smile spread across Zechs' lips, a hand brushing over her soft hair.   
" If you insist.." He said softly. Reluctantly he dislodged her from his torso. She looked up at him with large confused eyes, but just smiled in return. After a moment he was at her side, kneeling before her on her small bed. His strong arms snaked there way around her waist, pulling her in to a tight embrace. Noin was quick to wrap her arms around him in return, holding her self close to him.   
Since of course it was three thirty on the morning, Noin fell fast asleep there in Zechs' arms. Zechs made no effort to move her, or to keep her awake. He just fell asleep there with her, his head on her shoulder. And there they slept till the sun rose.   



End file.
